Five people arrested for allegedly fraudulent transfers from dead person’s bank account

Five people have been arrested for fraud after they allegedly transferred money from a dead person’s bank account.

The Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit in Mpumalanga arrested Dorcas Nyambi, 35, Patricia Mnisi, 40, Cyprian Themba Magagula, 38, Clement Shongwe, 32, and Thapelo Modika, 43, on Thursday, Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said.

Nyambi, who was employed at Standard Bank at the time of the incident, allegedly reactivated the dormant bank account of the dead client while the deceased’s family was busy with their estate claim.

She then allegedly colluded with the other accused and named them as beneficiaries of the account. In total, around R470 000 was transferred from the account, Sekgotodi added.

The accused appeared in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

They were released on R1 500 bail each.

The case was postponed to 19 May and is expected to be transferred to the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.